Written Question·Department of Health and Social Care·UIN 181714

NHS: Databases

Tabled: 19 April 2023
Answered: 3 May 2023

Question

Jon Trickett

LabourNormanton and Hemsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with NHS data staff on potential concerns on contracting Palantir to build the health service operating system.

Answer

My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has not discussed with National Health Service staff any concerns they may have in relation to any potential contracting by NHS England with any potential supplier.

Any NHS data services that require a supplier contract will be procured via a compliant contracting mechanism and this will follow the standard processes for assurance and approval. The Department will perform the appropriate role as part of these standard approval processes. NHS England has not made any request to Palantir for them to build the health service operating system. NHS England is currently out to ITCD for a Federated Data Platform for the NHS, however, we would not define this as an operating system.